'This is choking': CFIB calls for extended, expanded business supports as province reopens

As the House of Commons prepares to rise for the summer, small business owners throughout Canada continue to navigate reopening plans amid the ongoing wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the generosity of support programs for those businesses beginning to wane, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on the federal government for immediate action in resolving what they said are the “biggest issues still plaguing its small business support programs,” while asking for further support in addressing the rising debt levels being saddled to business owners. Dan Kelly is the President & CEO of the CFIB, and a recent guest on KitchenerToday with Brian Bourke. As the province continues to navigate through its three step Roadmap to Reopen plan, Kelly argued that Ontario seems to be “determined to be the last in the world” to reopen certain functions, as parts of Canada move at a much more significant pace toward the same effort. Pointing to the example of Alberta’s planned removal of all COVID-19 restrictions on July 1st, Kelly joked that Albertans will be fully reopened before Ontarians can get a haircut while wearing a mask.-- More...